The present invention relates to a control apparatus and a control method for controlling a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing process and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for managing apparatus operating condition parameters for adjusting operating conditions of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
Generally, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is a combination of various process chambers each of which performs a semiconductor device manufacturing process, and a transport mechanism, which conveys wafers, is provided between the process chambers and between a cassette that accommodates many wafers and a process chamber.
There are many apparatus operating condition parameters that correspond to a plurality of process chambers and a transport mechanism so that the process chambers and the transport mechanism can adjust the operational conditions of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in response to the ordered specifications and the purpose of use of a user.
Additionally, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may have a multi-chamber structure as mentioned above, and may be provided with an equipment control device for generally controlling the apparatus in response to the transport mechanism being provided thereto. Additionally, there is a case in which the equipment control device does not only control one semiconductor manufacturing apparatus but also generally control a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses. As mentioned above, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and a system including semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses have become complicated, and it is desired to efficiently manage the apparatus operating condition parameters of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. In this case, the equipment control device is connected to a control device (hereinafter, may be referred to as a machine control device) of the process chambers and the transport mechanism via a network so as to exchange various kinds of information including the apparatus operating condition parameters with the machine device.
Accordingly, conventionally, the apparatus operating condition parameters are stored in a memory apparatus such as a memory apparatus attached to the machine control apparatus or a hard disk apparatus that can be accessed by the machine control apparatus.
Each machine control apparatus has a first memory such as a ROM for storing apparatus control programs and a second memory such as a RAM for storing apparatus operating condition parameter executing table that accommodates the apparatus operating condition parameters referred to by the apparatus control programs during operation. Additionally, each machine control apparatus develops in the above-mentioned second memory via the machine control apparatus the apparatus operating condition parameters stored in the memory apparatus attached to the machine control apparatus or the apparatus operating condition parameters that have been stored in the memory apparatus attached to the machine control apparatus by executing the initialization program.
As mentioned above, according to the conventional technique, the apparatus operating condition parameters are collectively managed, that is, integrally stored in the memory apparatus, and are integrally developed in the second memory of the machine control apparatus.
However, the apparatus operating condition parameters are changed during operation in the delivered party or when version upgrade is made. That is, the apparatus operating condition parameters are adjusted to the standard setting values when the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is produced, and then adjusted to conform to the order specifications or apparatus specifications at the delivery time. Additionally, a part of the apparatus operating condition parameters may be reset at the delivered site of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus so as to conform to the operational conditions of the client. As an example, when the client changes the number of arms of the transport mechanism, the standard setting value or the setting value at the delivery time is overwritten by the reset at the delivered site.
However, for example, when the version of the apparatus control programs are upgraded, there may be a case in which the apparatus operating condition parameters must be set back to the setting value at the delivery time or the standard value so as to perform an inspection or initialization of the upgraded apparatus control program. In such a case, since the apparatus operating condition parameters that have been reset at the delivered site are deleted, the apparatus operating condition parameters that have been reset at the delivered site must be memorized so as to perform an input operation of the client oriented setting values after the version upgrade is completed. Such a resetting operation is inconvenient for the operator, and there is a problem in that operation errors of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may occur due to input errors.
In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a managing method of apparatus operating condition which method can restore the apparatus operating condition parameters to setting values of various levels such as standard setting values, delivery setting values or client oriented setting values even if the apparatus operating condition parameters are overwritten, and to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which executes the managing method.
Additionally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a recording medium which records a program which can be executed by a controller or a computer of the above-mentioned semiconductor manufacturing apparatus so as to perform the managing method of the apparatus operating condition parameters of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present Invention is based on the idea to classify the apparatus operating condition parameters of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus into levels corresponding to conditions of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and to manage a difference in the apparatus operating condition parameters between the classified levels, that is, to manage information about addition or deletion of the parameters themselves.
The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention recited in claim 1 comprises: a processing system including at least one process chamber which performs a semiconductor manufacturing process; a transport system carrying an object to be processed in or out of said process chamber of said processing system; and an equipment control system electrically connected to a machine control unit of said processing system and said transport system and having a memory apparatus for storing an apparatus control program and apparatus operating condition parameters, the equipment control system providing the apparatus control program and the apparatus operating condition parameters to said machine control unit, said machine control unit controlling said processing system and said transport system based on said apparatus control program provided by said machine control system and said apparatus operating condition parameters developed on a memory. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that said machine control system stores said apparatus operating condition parameters in said memory apparatus for each level provided with a priority level from a standard level peculiar to said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to a specific level peculiar to a user of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and said machine control system develops said apparatus operating condition parameters, which are stored in said memory apparatus of said machine control system, on said memory of said machine control unit in response to a priority level of a set of said parameters.
A method for managing apparatus operating condition parameters in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus recited in claim 2 comprises: a processing system including at least one process chamber which performs a semiconductor manufacturing process; a transport system carrying an object to be processed in or out of said process chamber of said processing system; and an equipment control system electrically connected to a machine control unit of said processing system and said transport system and having a memory apparatus for storing an apparatus control program and apparatus operating condition parameters, the equipment control system providing the apparatus control program and the apparatus operating condition parameters to said machine control unit, said machine control unit controlling said processing system and said transport system based on said apparatus control program provided by said machine control system and said apparatus operating condition parameters developed on a memory, characterized by: a step of storing said apparatus operating condition parameters in said memory apparatus for each level provided with a priority level from a standard level peculiar to said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to a specific level peculiar to a user of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and a step of developing said apparatus operating condition parameters, which are stored in said memory apparatus of said machine control system, on said memory of said machine control unit in response to a priority level of a set of said parameters.
The method for managing apparatus operating condition parameters according to the present invention recited in claim 3 is characterized in that the step of developing said apparatus operating condition parameters on said memory in an order of priority of sets of said parameters includes: a step of developing a set of parameters having a highest priority level on said memory; and a step of developing a set of parameters having a next higher priority level on said memory so that the parameters of the same items as the parameters already developed on said memory are overwritten until a set of parameters having a next higher priority is not obtained from said memory apparatus.
The method for managing apparatus operating condition parameters according to the present invention recited in claim 4 is characterized in that the step of developing said apparatus operating condition parameters on said memory in an order of priority of sets of said parameters includes: a step of developing a set of parameters having a lowest priority level on said memory; and a step of developing on said memory the parameters other than the parameters of the same items as the parameters already developed on said memory from among the set of parameters having a next lower priority level until the set of the parameters having a next lower priority is not obtained from said memory apparatus.
Additionally, the invention related to claim 5 is a computer readable recording medium storing a program for managing apparatus operating condition parameters in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and the program includes:
a code for causing said apparatus operating condition parameters being classified into levels each of which is provided with a priority level from a standard level peculiar to said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to a specific level peculiar to a user of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and
a code for causing said apparatus operating condition parameters, which are classified into said levels, being developed on said memory (102) of said machine control unit (1501, . . . 150n, 72) in an order of priority levels of a set of said parameters.
According to the invention relates to the above-mentioned claims 1 through 5, the storing area of the memory apparatus such as a hard disc for storing the apparatus operating condition parameters are classified into levels provided with a priority level such as xe2x80x9cstoring area of a standard setting valuexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cstoring area of a delivery time setting value2 or xe2x80x9cstoring area of a client oriented setting valuexe2x80x9d. Accordingly, in a case in which the client oriented setting value is input after the apparatus operating condition parameters are reset to the delivery time setting values due to a version upgrade of the program and then the version upgrade is completed, advantages can be obtained in that the actual values of the apparatus operating condition parameters can be restored to the standard setting values, the delivery time setting values or the client oriented setting values any time, and the data set by overwriting cannot be rewritten.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.